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The only way to do this is to buy a general license then put in for a LE tag, not get it and request a refund for 80% of the general tag cost. Pretty spendy way to get a point, but you can't just buy them like WY. That route will cost you $195 ($826*20%+$9 LE tag+$20 bonus point fee).

MT is one I'm having a little trouble understanding as a FNG. I see where you can opt in for the point on the application but I'd rather not pay all that up front for several years.

This is a C&P from the MT FWP website

The Montana State Legislature established a preference point system to distribute "Class B-10" nonresident big game combination licenses and "Class B-11" nonresident deer combination licenses. In a preference point system, licenses are awarded to those applicants who hold the greatest number of preference points.

Purchasing Preference Points

Preference points for a nonresident big game or deer combination license may be purchased for a nonrefundable fee of $50. Preference points can be purchased:
•at the time of application for the nonresident combination license; or
•between July 1 and September 30 for individuals who did not apply for a nonresident big game license.

Applicants may purchase only one preference point per license year. Preference points purchased at the time of application are awarded prior to the drawing.

It makes it seem like I can buy points after the drawing for deer combination or big game combination lic only. Is that right, it sounds like this is new.

You can buy a preference point to get the big game combo, elk combination or deer combination. But not the bonus point for elk/deer limited areas. There have been leftovers for the combination licenses the last 2 years so it would be $50 down the drain. You must first have a combo license to enter the limited draws to gain a bonus point. Hope this helps clarify.

IMO if you dont have any points already its a waste of your money to start getting them. The better LE hunts have very low draw odds, and the general tags can all be had with no points now. Unless you plan to hunt on a general tag every year and want to apply for LE hunts because you will be using the general tag anyways I just dont think its worth it.

That is exceedingly helpful. So there are less than 4600 NR that want "combination" licenses each year? If so, it makes no sense to buy the points only. Maybe one or something the year before a group tries to go I guess so we can make sure we all get a license.

So you HAVE TO buy/put in for the "combination deer" lic to put in for the limited draws, right? Then, if you don't get drawn for the limited you can request a refund on your "combination" license and get the money back minus the "bonus point" fee, and that's the way to build points for the limited hunts. Is that right?

If so, that makes perfect sense and I'm not going to waste my money until I have years on end I COULD hunt if I got drawn for a limited area.

Since they raised the prices MT has had leftover combo's every year The deer only combo did sell out still at first but the last atleast 2 years it had leftovers too. These stats are not posted on their web site anywhere. IMO the price is to high for what they have to offer now with wolves in western MT and deer and antelope numbers down in eastern MT and it has turned alot of NR's away, myself being 1 of them and I have not hunted MT since the prices went up. I feel my money is much better spent in other states.

That is exceedingly helpful. So there are less than 4600 NR that want "combination" licenses each year? If so, it makes no sense to buy the points only. Maybe one or something the year before a group tries to go I guess so we can make sure we all get a license.

So you HAVE TO buy/put in for the "combination deer" lic to put in for the limited draws, right? Then, if you don't get drawn for the limited you can request a refund on your "combination" license and get the money back minus the "bonus point" fee, and that's the way to build points for the limited hunts. Is that right?

If so, that makes perfect sense and I'm not going to waste my money until I have years on end I COULD hunt if I got drawn for a limited area.

There are 13000 elk/deer combo or elk only combo licenses and 4600 deer combo licenses for non residents. You have to apply (and you will get it if the last 2 years trends continue and they will because of EHD, wolves etc) then you apply for a limited area with the bonus point option and $20 extra. If you don't draw the limited area and you want the bonus point you will forfeit the $20 and 20% of the combo license cost. They only refund 80% of the cost of the combo license if you want a bonus point. Pretty good for Montana, not so good for your wallet!

So if you do this just plan to hunt that year in the general areas instead of requesting the refund. I've never been to Montana but there has to be good hunting in the general areas for both deer and elk.

They have it set up that way intentionally I think to keep the limited draw areas from becoming impossible to draw and encouraging hunters to apply at least every few years so that their bonus points don't expire. (And to make money of course).